How Do We Fix It?

Colleges and universities can play a virtual role in the moral, intellectual and spiritual development of a student’s life. But there is a growing mismatch between the culture of many campuses, and the challenges young people will face in their careers, politics and personal lives.Author and columnist David Brooks suggested solutions in his stirring speech, “How a University Shaped My Soul”, given at the recent annual conference of Heterodox Academy. He spoke about the life lessons he learned as an undergraduate at The University of Chicago.“Our professors taught us intellectual courage. There is no such thing as thinking for yourself,” he said. “Even the words we think with are collective things, and most of us don’t think for truth, we think for bonding.”Brooks surprised his audience by praising students who challenge their professors, saying “on balance, it’s a good thing.”Since 2003, David Brooks has been an op-Ed columnist at The New York Times. He is an executive director at the Aspen Institut

Will the Catholic Church's sexual abuse crisis ever end? Nearly 18 years since the Boston Globe's Spotlight investigation's shocking revelations, U.S. bishops and The Vatican still struggle to hold the church fully accountable for decades of criminal wrongdoing.Last year's Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report revealed that over 1,000 children had been abused by Catholic priests across six dioceses over seven decades. A new Pew Research Survey finds that a large majority of American Catholics think abuse by clergy is still happening. This episode looks at the crisis from a unique perspective. Maggi Van Dorn, a Catholic committed to healing the Church from the inside, hosts "Deliver Us", a frank and remarkable series of podcasts that spoke with survivors of abuse, advocates and church experts. "The Church is marred in a really ugly way," Maggi tells us. "As a member of this family, it's really incumbent on me to work for reform."We discuss solutions, such as the&

A lot of politicians like to say that there are “two Americas,” but do any of them know what life is really like for the marginalized poor?We speak with journalist and photographer, Chris Arnade, about the forgotten towns and people of back row America. In 2011, Chris left a high-powered job as a bond trader on Wall Street, hit the road, and spent years documenting the lives of poor people, driving 150 thousand miles around the U.S.His new book is "Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America." In his many columns in The Guardian, Chris writes about broken social systems that have betrayed poor people on the margins of society. He speaks to us about drug addicts and prostitutes he met, and their faith, resilience and ties to community."I think if I had one suggestion to policy people, it would be get out of your bubble," says Chris. "I think when you blame a group of people for their behavior, without addressing the situation they find themselves in, then you are doing it wrong."In th

"Twitter is like the crystal meth of social media," says our guest, University of Tennessee Law Professor, Glenn Reynolds, founder of the popular political blog, Instapundit.  Twitter "is addictive and ultimately unsatisfying."In this episode we look at why social media is poisoning our politics, journalism and relationships by stoking anger, fear, hyper-partisanship and distrust of others. We ask: "how do we fix it?" "Social media is addictive by design. The companies involved put tremendous amounts of thought and effort into making it that way, so that people will be glued to their screens," writes Glenn in his new book, "The Social Media Upheaval." In our podcast, he cites the work of Columbia University Professor Tim Wu, author of "The Curse of Bigness", who warns about the dangers of excessive corporate and industrial concentration. Glenn is sympathetic to calls to break up social media giants and reign in their political and commercial power.Among other solutions discussed

Climate change has never been a leading issue in a Presidential election campaign-- until now. A recent poll found that 82% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters said it’s “very important” that their party’s nominee supports taking “aggressive action” to reduce the effects of climate change.2020 could be the climate election. All of the leading Democratic candidates are calling for legislative action, and even many leading Republicans are changing their messaging and how they discuss pollution and the impact on climate.But the environmental politics can cut both ways. While the recent European Parliament election results were a win for green parties, Australia's conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison won a surprise victory, while resisting calls to sharply reduce carbon emissions and coal production.In this episode, we revisit our interview with for GOP Member of Congress Bob Inglis, who argues that while Donald Trump and fellow Republicans are part o

Support for socialism is surprisingly strong, especially among young Americans, ages 18-29. According to recent polls, they are more likely to have a positive view of socialism than capitalism.Despite socialist economic failures in Venezuela, Africa and Eastern Europe, today's promises of free health care, college loan debt forgiveness, mandatory stock ownership for employees, and guaranteed income look increasingly attractive to a large group of voters in the U.S."Seriously debating socialism gets us talking about a good society really is and the philosophical, economic and political foundations that underlie it," wrote economist Emily Chamlee-Wright this month in The Wall Street Journal.While believing that "competitive and open markets are the answer", Emily tells us in this episode that the debate over socialism allows us to challenge the flawed system of crony capitalism and discuss fundamental moral questions about how our economy is organized.Emily Chamlee-Wright is President and CEO of

Human rights have rarely been at greater risk. President Trump and other world leaders are conspicuously silent about torture, the suppression of press freedom and threats to democracy. For the first time in many decades, the U.S. is led by a President who routinely praises foreign dictators, and rarely speaks up for democratic institutions. From the imprisonment of journalists in Turkey and Egypt, widespread torture and killings in Syria, to probable genocide in Myanmar and the murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, the worst human rights offenders are able to act with complete impunity. Today's heads of government are "morally weak, shortsighted, mediocre, and no longer willing or able to defend human rights," says this week's "How Do We Fix It?" guest, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the former U.N. Human Rights chief. We find out why it wasn't always this way.In this episode, we look at the need for greater media coverage of human rights, and learn more about some of the world's bravest defender

Is modern technology a force for good or evil? In many countries, digital repression, often powered by artificial intelligence, is a direct threat to freedom and the relationship between citizen and state.China has begun using AI to weaponize social media and mass surveillance in ways that give the Communist government incredible control over what Chinese citizens say and do—and even how they thinkThe Road to Digital Unfreedom: How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Repression" is the title of a groundbreaking research paper in the Journal of Democracy by Steven Feldstein, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Steve is a Professor at Boise State University and our guest for this episode. "What's surprising to me is just how a few governments are using surveillance to get inside almost every kind of action they might be interested in from certain individuals," Steve tells us. We discuss the coordinated use in China's Xianjong province of DNA readers, facial r

Angry rhetoric, narrow partisanship, and leaders who appeal only to their base are all reasons why American politics is in urgent need of reform.By huge majorities, the public has a negative view of Congress and believes the system is broken.Our guest, 29-year-old Nick Troiano, Executive Director of Unite America, is a leading voice of the reform movement, who supports changes aimed at reducing gridlock, boosting voter participation, and finding common ground. "We are caught in a democracy that is spiraling in a very negative direction and the question before us is how do we break that," Nick tells us.Among his solutions:- End gerrymandering. Independent commissions, not partisan legislators, would decide the shape Congressional districts.- Ranked-choice voting. Instead of choosing just one candidate, voters would have the option of ranking candidates according to their preference.- Reform primary rules, and allow independents to vote in party primaries.- Campaign finan

From dating to switching jobs and managing retirement. We all manage risk. Want to get better at it?The best way to learn is to ask some of the real experts: Magicians, gamblers, big-wave surfers, horse breeders, and prostitutes. That's what economist, journalist and risk advisor Allison Schrager did. She's our guest in this episode.For people faced with risky decisions every day, making the right choices can be the difference between success or failure, and in some cases, life and death. Allison is the author of the new book "An Economist Walks Into a Brothel: And Other Unexpected Places to Learn About Risk." She visited Nevada's Moonlight Bunny Ranch brothel, hung out with paparazzi who stalked celebrities, spoke with movie makers in Hollywood, and went to a risk conference for surfers in Hawaii as part of her extensive research for the book.We learn basic lessons about human psychology as well as hedging, diversification, leverage and insurance. "You take risks to get what you want

Are you depressed when you read the news? The media's rampant negativity, with a daily emphasis on outrage and crisis, is a form of mental pollution that misinforms the public, harms democracy, and leads a distorted view of the world."You Are What You Read", by Jodie Jackson, is a call for reform. Written by a non-journalist, the book looks at the psychological impact of reading endlessly negative news, and shows viewers, listeners and readers how to protect themselves and change their media diet. "We need learn about how problems are being solved, issues being resolved for the sake of our souls," says Jodie in her YouTube video, promoting her book."This is not a call for us to ignore the negative, but rather to not ignore the positive," Jodie tells us. "The most important thing from this research showed that learning about solutions can make us feel more empowered."  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At a time of information overload, social media silos and political paralysis, how can all of us be better communicators? In this 200th episode, Richard and Jim share lessons they've learned about listening, asking questions and interviewing guests during nearly four years of "How Do We Fix It?"It's been a fun run, and many more episodes are being planned in the weeks and months come. This week, we discuss the show's origin story and how we've leveraged the intimacy of podcasting to change some of the questions we ask guests and how we record each conversation. We include extracts from past shows to illustrate how to ask better questions. There's also a short blooper real: Examples of questions that should not have been asked!This episode includes some hallmarks of constructive conversations: Focus on facts and evidence, acknowledge and listen to evidence that contradicts your position, and be respectful. Using humor and humility, establishing eye contact, asking brief follow-up questions are also useful

Novelist and journalist John Lanchester's new book "The Wall", imagines a world dealing with catastrophic climate change. Fear of rising sea levels and desperate migrants fleeing from uninhabitable lands have led to the building of a giant concrete wall around an entire island nation that is very much like the U.K.In the novel, Joseph Kavanagh, a new Defender, has one task: to protect his section of the Wall from the Others, the desperate souls who are trapped amid the rising seas outside and are a constant threat. Failure will result in death or a fate perhaps worse: being put to sea and made an Other himself.This is our first episode about a novel, which may help us understand with how individuals and society might react to a world where average annual temperatures have warmed by about 9 degrees F (2 degrees C).Would we panic and be even more fearful or xenophobic than we are today? Would older people, who failed to act on climate change before it was too late, face bitterness and blame from young

Isolation and loneliness have reached epidemic levels, resulting in a profound loss of social capital. Despite mass communications, the spread of technology and social media, a recent survey found 47% of Americans often felt alone, meaningful connections to others.In this second episode with the author of the new book, "Love Your Enemies", social scientist and president of the American Enterprise Institute, Arthur Brooks, we discuss the need for a stronger sense of community, deeper friendships, and a curiosity for uncomfortable ideas."Without a competition of ideas, which is also known as disagreement, we get stagnation and mediocrity," Arthur tells us. "We don't need to disagree less, we need to disagree better."In this episode, we also discuss the impact of social media on community and status, and what's behind the recent college admissions cheating scandal.This is a joint episode of "How Do We Fix It?" and "Half-Hour of Heterodoxy" podcasts. Jim and Richard are joined by co-host,

This podcast is an urgent, radical, yet practical response to the crisis of political polarization that is tearing America apart. Instead of mere tolerance and civility, we discuss how and why we should love our enemies.A response is needed to our culture of contempt, where many think of those who they disagree with as bad people. Millions are organizing their social lives and curating their news and information to avoid hearing viewpoints different than their own.The Outrage Industrial Complex-- angry politicians, cable TV and talk radio pundits, campus activists and Twitter trolls-- profits out of making us miserable and wrecking public life. An exhausted majority of Americans is tired of how divided we've become. This show looks at how to fix it.In his new book, "Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America From the Culture of Contempt", best-selling author and social scientist, Arthur Brooks, makes the case for something that is far more life affirming than mere tole

Monsanto's controversial Roundup herbicide is the world's top-selling weed killer. But tens of billions of dollars in sales and profits are at stake because of questions about the safety of glyphosate, the product's key ingredient. Does Roundup cause cancer? Is it linked to cases of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma? Are GMO crops allies or enemies in the fight for a more sustainable environment?More than 11,200 lawsuits have been filed, claiming that Roundup causes cancer. A major trial is now underway in federal court in San Francisco. A 70-year-old California man alleges that he got sick because he used Roundup on his property for many years. The trial is hearing a range of opinions. This episode features former Reuters correspondent, investigative journalist, and advocate Carey Gillam-- the author of “Whitewash —The Story of a Weedkiller, Cancer and the Corruption of Science.” Carey's book won the Rachel Carson book award from the Society of Environmental Jou

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez didn't waste any time getting started in Congress. The first-term Democrat boldly proposed The Green New Deal, one of the most ambitious policy proposals in decades.Precise details are fuzzy, but the broad strokes suggest that the Green New Deal calls on the federal government to ban virtually all fossil fuels, replace most cars and airplanes with trains and other forms of public transportation, build a smart electricity grid, strengthen trade unions, retrofit every building in the country, give everyone free college, free healthcare, and a guaranteed job.But would it prevent climate change? By including a series of highly ambitious left-wing proposals on economic and social policy, is the Green New Deal debate a distraction from constructive efforts to address carbon emissions, pollution and global warming?Our guest, Megan McArdle, is a Washington Post columnist and author of the book "The Upside of Down:Why Failing Well is the Key to Succ

Migration is an emotional, super-charged issue, sparking fierce debates, angry protests and influencing election results around the world. From President Trump's demand for a border wall to the long controversy over Brexit, migration is seen by many as a threat. But movement of people across borders is inevitable, and has always played a major role in economic growth and technological innovation. Today, global migration is at a record high-- up 50% in less than twenty years. An estimated 244 million people, or about 3.3% of the world’s population, were born in one country and now live in another. Often, solutions to the world's problems involve an unsexy truth: Better management. This episode looks at the need for safe, orderly and regular migration. The alternative to international cooperation is often violence and chaos, leading to great human suffering.Our guest is Tolu Olubunmi, host of the podcast, "A Way Home Together: Stories of the Human Journey". Tolu is a

The climate change debate is heating up. Record numbers of people no longer see extreme climate as a distant  threat, but as a crisis that is unfolding right now. According to a Yale survey, "the proportion of Americans who are very worried about global warming has more than tripled since its lowest point in 2011." Despite opposition by activist groups, support for carbon-free nuclear power is growing among climate scientists and environmentalists as they search for ways to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.In this episode, Richard quizzes co-host Jim Meigs, who argues in the latest edition of City Journal that nuclear is the best source of clean, reliable and safe energy.We consider concerns about cost, nuclear waste, power plant safety, and look at what really happened after disasters at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima. Jim explains why subsidies for wind and solar have led to the construction of more polluting natural gas plants, instead of no-e

The American worker is in crisis. Wages have stagnated for several decades. Despite nearly a decade of continuous economic growth and falling unemployment (as defined by official statistics), the percentage of Americans in the workforce is still well below normal levels. For the first time in modern memory, life expectancy has started to fall, as substance abuse and obesity rates rise. Our guest in this episode, Oren Cass, argues that we've abandoned the American worker, and pushed four-college at the cost of other, more effective, solutions.In his widely-praised new book, "The Once and Future Worker",  Oren argues that government policy should emphasize production, not consumption.  His arguments were summarized in The Atlantic."We've become obsessed with consumerism-- measuring everything in terms of consumers and living standards... In the process, we've forgotten that producing stuff is important too.Oren Cass is a senior fellow at the Manha